


Float

by FoolishPrince



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Friendship, Mental Anguish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:28:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28105506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoolishPrince/pseuds/FoolishPrince
Summary: Asami struggles with the aftermath of the Equalist. Korra helps her realize she's not so alone.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	Float

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: don't own Avatar: legend of Korra
> 
> Also, enjoy!

“-You understand why we must retract”

She did, she understood completely. Who would want to work with a company whose former president was a terrorist? Who would want to be associated with the daughter of a man who was responsible for the death of dozens of people? A man who supported and readily supplied an army of terrorist with the means to destroy their victims. A man who would try to kill his own flesh and blood simply because she would not yield to his beliefs. The answer was nobody. The five other companies who pulled out of their contracts with the same bullshit excuses were proof of that. So, yes, she understood. 

“Yes, yes, I understand completely. Yes, I’ll have someone send over the paperwork right away. Thank you, you as well”

She placed the receiver back on the hook, making sure to pull the wire out of the bottom of the telephone so no late-night calls would disrupt the peaceful quiet of the air temple dorms. The phone had been installed especially for her and she already felt like a burden for taking up space in the dorms that could have gone to someone who really needed it. The last thing she wanted was for someone to miss out on sleep simple because she needed special accommodations.

She went back to the paperwork in front of her. She scanned the words relentlessly, looking for something, anything, that could help in this moment, but it was useless. There were no quick solutions to fix the mess she was in. No magic words to make all her problems go away. Nothing could save her now.

She stood abruptly, knocking the wicker chair beneath her to the ground and causing the candle on her desk to flicker dangerously. She gripped the edge of the desk to steady herself, biting savagely at her lip to stave off tears. Her father, the man who was once her everything, was in jail. She was the sole owner of a company falling apart because of his destruction. The entire city was watching her with wary eyes, waiting for her to betray them, hoping for her to fail. And she was, failing that is. The world was falling apart and she with it.

The door to her room slid open behind her just as the tears began to spill forth over the barrier of her eyelids. She wiped them away roughly with the back of her hand, trying to morph her face into something neutral so as not to show the person behind her the turmoil she was going through. She turned, expecting to find Meelo or Ikki, a common occurrence since neither of them ever bothered to knock, but was shocked to find it was the Avatar who had entered her quarters unannounced. Bloodshot jade eyes met exhaustion bruised cyan eyes and Asami’s mind immediately spiraled back out of control.

Her thoughts ran and circled around the last conversation they had. When Korra had found her in her garage tearing apart an engine after her father’s court case. Remembers how Korra had eyed her with the same wariness the city now displayed. How she had approached her with nervous steps like Asami was a wild mooselion backed into a corner. Remembers the anger she felt when Korra had quietly admitted.

“I wanted to be wrong”

She didn’t have to ask about what, she knew what the other girl was referring to. Though her words were sincere in tone, Asami didn’t believe her. She knew that Korra didn’t like her. The Avatar wore her emotions on her sleeves and had shown her discontent towards Asami from day one. It was clear in how viciously she fought to turn Asami’s entire life upside-down that the Avatar, at that time, was not her friend. And though they worked together to bring her father and Amon down, Asami knew without a doubt the Avatar hated her.

So, as Korra approached, this time with tired eyes and solemn steps, Asami turned away in an attempt to hide the anger she still felt. This time, no quiet guilt-ridden words were spoken, only gentle steps. Asami griped her desk once again as the Avatar’s strong presence grew stronger yet. Stiffened when she felt the Avatar at her back and even more so when the other girls arms encircled her waist. Her mind reeled, gearing for an attack and she threw an elbow back in a panicked attempt to escape.

Korra didn’t let go and if it hurt, she certainly didn’t voice it. She didn’t even grunt, just held a bit tighter. Asami didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what was going on. Just as she was going to attempt another escape, Asami felt her feet leave the ground. Gently, she was carried backwards until the Avatar was sitting on her bed and she in her lap.

Asami’s mind was running too fast for her to comprehend. Nothing was making sense and the one thing that did make sense, the one thing she knew would not change, suddenly has. Her chest heaved as she was overcome with a slew of emotions and tears spilt over onto bronze arms.

Because Korra was in her room, but Korra hates her.

It was Korra, in fact, that had got her said room, but Korra hates her.

Korra who stole her father from her.

Korra who stole Mako.

Korra who turned her whole world on an axis.

Korra hates her.

But…

It was Korra’s strong arms wrapped securely around her waist.

Korra’s heart beating a warm and steady tempo into her back, around her rib cage and into her own heart.

Korra’s lip’s painting her neck with a gentle breeze of mint.

And it was Korra whispering in her ear words she will never forget. Words that will forever help to ground her when she is lost.

“Life is like the ocean. It can be calm and gentle, caressing you with its waves as you glide across its surface. Lovingly carrying you back to shore, to safety, with each shallow push…. or it can be harsh and unforgiving, changing in a moments notice. Pulling you under before you’ve even had a chance to notice it was doing so. It grabs you with its currents. Takes you further and further from all things you know. Stealing you from the light, from the air, from life until you agree to become one with it. And it is in that moment…when the ocean has turned on you. When you are trapped in its dark, cold, unforgiving undertow, clinging to what little air it had allowed you to grab before it took you, that you must remember one thing…you must remember that you can float. Remember to float and you will find the calm again. Remember to float and your eyes will see the light again, your lungs will breathe the air once more, and your life will return to you… Remember to float and the world will make sense again, Asami”

If Korra hated her.

Why was she here, comforting her? How did she know this was what Asami needed when Asami herself hadn’t even realized?

If Korra hated her…

Why did she teach her to float?

For the first time in weeks, Asami’s mind began to settle and the fog cleared. Finally able to track her thoughts, she contemplated her questions and as she did so, she began to relax into the other girls hold. And as she relaxed, she realized she could hear the wariness in Korra’s lungs with each shaky exhale and that she could feel the subtle tremble in the tired muscles beneath her. And as she realized this, she wondered if Korra knew that she could also float or was she too, waiting for someone to teach her.


End file.
